Lechler looking toward the future, uncertain what it holds

Punter Shane Lechler and kicker Sebastian Janikowski are the only two players on the Raiders 53-man roster that experienced a winning season with this team. This season marks Lechler’s 13th season, and it just might be his final one in a Raiders uniform.

Lechler is in the final year of the four-year contract he signed in 2009 that made him the highest-paid punter in NFL history. It remains to be seen whether he will be back for a 14th season.

“Oh, yeah, I’ve thought about it, had long discussions with my wife about it,” Lechler said Monday. “It’s one of those things where you don’t have any control over it and it’s kind of frustrating. But, in the same sense, it’s exciting and frustrating at the same time, if it can be that. That’s what it is. Just a lot of long conversations with the wife, we’ve got kids in school now, so we need to figure out something and go from there.”

Lechler said he had high hopes for this season, given the Raiders finished 8-8 each of the past two seasons and came one win away from winning the AFC West last season.

He joined the Raiders as a fifth-round pick out of Texas A&M in 2000, at a time when the Raiders were just taking off under then-coach Jon Gruden.

The Raiders qualified for the AFC Playoffs in each of Lechler’s first three seasons, culminating with a Super Bowl appearance under coach Bill Callahan in 2002.

“I wish that would have happened a little bit later in my career so I wouldn’t have taken it so much for granted,” Lechler said. “We walk right into this thing and go to the AFC Championship Game. I thought that was how it was going to be. Didn’t quite turn out that way.”

No, it didn’t. As it turned out, the Raiders went 4-12 in Lechler’s fourth season and haven’t had a winning season in any of the past 10. They are 3-10 right now.

Through it all, Lechler was the one consistent bright spot for the Raiders, racking up Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections seemingly every season.

This season, Lechler is 10th in gross punting average and 21st in net punting average. Part of that owes to Lechler being bothered by a knee injury that required surgery just before training camp started — he said he didn’t feel 100 percent healthy until midway through this season.

Lechler is playing for his eighth head coach this year. He said it’s imperative the Raiders stick with Dennis Allen and give Allen a chance to turn around the Raiders.

“Though it may not look like it in our record and what’s happened on Sundays, this place is headed in the right direction,” Lechler said.

And Allen is the one of the primary reasons the Raiders are headed in the proper direction, Lechler said.
“D.A. is good for this job,” Lechler said. “He’s got my full support. Somewhere in here, we’re going to have to let a guy coach for a few years to figure out. It’s not much different than the college football. You give a guy four years, let him recruit players, let him develop his players and see how they are then, instead of change and change and change. But this is Oakland.”

General manager Reggie McKenzie and owner Mark Davis haven’t tipped their hand on how they intend to proceed with Lechler.

Well, that is, unless you count the decision to place undrafted rookie punter Marquette King on season-ending reserve.

“Yeah, I don’t know that I’ve ever seen it happen before,” Lechler said.

That’s the kind of move that means one of two things: The Raiders intend to let Lechler walk after this season, or they are keeping King on ice in case Lechler opts to sign elsewhere.

“I’m not real worried about it,” Lechler said. “If that’s the direction they choose to go, they choose to go. I don’t have any doubt in his ability. He needs some time.

“It was frustrating for a little while because this is my job, and it has been mine for 13 years. You can feel how you want to about it. I took it a little bit personal early but after that I was like, ‘You know what? I can only worry about so many things around here.’ So, that was one of them that I needed to stop worrying about.”

Long-snapper Jon Condo called Lechler a leader in the locker room and on the field, the kind of guy whose value transcends all the Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections.

Lechler, Condo and kicker Sebastian Janikowski arguably are the best specialists trio in the league.
“I’ve seen punters along the way that can boom a punt 67 yards, but their next might be 20, 30 yards,” Condo said. “He’s always consistent, he’s always there. Just his presence in the locker room and on the field, it’s big for our team. I know with Bass, it’s a safety net for him, it’s a safety net for me, when the three of us are together.

“We all have faith and trust in one another, and that’s a big thing in specialists when you’re out there kicking a field goal or punting a ball from the back of your end zone. Without trust in the guy you’re working with, that’s one thing that has helped out me a lot is having faith and trust. Also, there’s a comfort level. Anytime those guys are on the field you feel comfortable. If you’re comfortable, you’re going to play a lot better.”

Every other back has a higher per carry average. Our running game is killing us with McFadden out there. There is your problem right there. Sorry..
>>>>

Why didn’t it kill us last year then? He played well enough for us to start 5-1 if not for the Buff defensive debacle.

Now we won’t get 5 winnable games in a season… and our QB is better.

Try Some Reality

You know, the Hue ship has sailed and he’s not coming back, but some of you really have to stop with all the hate. I’m amazed that anyone can sit back and defend this staff while throwing stones at Hue. He wasn’t perfect, but our team was a sh1tload better last year than this.

3-10 and we are the league JOKE! Getting embarrassed on a weekly basis.

Priesttj12

Seymour DMC is a proven back son………..he has a track record. The fact that he underperformed under these bums is an indictment against them not him.

That’s because they were playing McFadden. Wouldn’t you? I noticed in week 2 when McFadden went out and Goodson came in and made a twenty yard run and then a 70 yard TD reception to get McFadden out of there. Every one else seems to be productive for us at RB but mcFadden.

Priesttj12

For someone to try to defend this fiasco shows how desparate they are.

nycraider

Hue doesnt deserve hate but he also doesnt deserve to be the object of this blog, he’s not gonna be part of the future. we have bigger issues ..let him go

Try Some Reality

Tuckrulefool Says:
December 10th, 2012 at 10:21 pm
priest what is HWS?

==========================

Height, Weight, Speed

tuckrulefool

LET D0A GO!

YESTERDAY!

tuckrulefool

ah ok thanks

Try Some Reality

Nycraider Says:
December 10th, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Hue doesnt deserve hate but he also doesnt deserve to be the object of this blog, he’s not gonna be part of the future. we have bigger issues ..let him go

========================================

I agree. I just don’t see how someone can hate him while at the same time handing out hall passes to the current staff.

Gdog

That’s because they were playing McFadden. Wouldn’t you? I noticed in week 2 when McFadden went out and Goodson came in and made a twenty yard run and then a 70 yard TD reception to get McFadden out of there. Every one else seems to be productive for us at RB but mcFadden.
>>>>

I cant see the forest because of those damn trees!

Explain how McF can lead the league in rushing last year in six games, and struggle so much this year in six.

For someone to try to defend this fiasco shows how desparate they are.
=============================================

What do you want to do? Bring Bill Polian here? Hire Gruden and give him full rein? What I am defending is things HAD TO CHANGE HERE. They are changing. How many guys have been shipped out of here this year that have appeared on other rosters and turned into instant superstars?

Priesttj12

Height weight speed HWS………..Seymour is blind with hatred doesn’t understand what he;s talking about. He thinks the only players Mr Davis drfated with based on HWS he’s too stupid to know our own history.

Mayock started that crazy stuff and he bought it hook line and sinker without looking at the facts.

Is Marcus Allen HWS is Stabler HWS throughout our history we’ve drafted some greta players and some bad players but he’s too naive to know the difference.

That’s because they were playing McFadden. Wouldn’t you? I noticed in week 2 when McFadden went out and Goodson came in and made a twenty yard run and then a 70 yard TD reception to get McFadden out of there. Every one else seems to be productive for us at RB but mcFadden.
>>>>

I cant see the forest because of those damn trees!

Explain how McF can lead the league in rushing last year in six games, and struggle so much this year in six.

Perhaps we can go from there…
========================================

He had a different offensive line. Satele is a much better center than Wisneiwski, Wisnieski is a better LG than Carlisle and Carlisle is a better RG than Briesel. That’s how.

That’s because they were playing McFadden. Wouldn’t you? I noticed in week 2 when McFadden went out and Goodson came in and made a twenty yard run and then a 70 yard TD reception to get McFadden out of there. Every one else seems to be productive for us at RB but mcFadden.
——————
there YDPC are good but IMO we havent run the ball enough to make any opinions about whose good. We havent had many close games so we tend to run the ball against prevent type defenses because they are up by 14+. Has DMAC struggled , yes..is it disappointing he has only one 1000 season in his career..yes..but these other running backs have not stepped up to be game changers so I’m not gonna say goodsen is our future , or reece is our next TB..I wonder which RBs most other GM s would choose from our team if they had the opportunity.

Height weight speed HWS………..Seymour is blind with hatred doesn’t understand what he;s talking about. He thinks the only players Mr Davis drfated with based on HWS he’s too stupid to know our own history.
=======================================

Come on you have gone nuts. I said we are going to draft football players not HWS. And we have. I never said that was all Davis drafted was HWS. Of course not. But in the end he did more than in the beginning. And it didn’t work out.

Gdog

I agree. I just don’t see how someone can hate him while at the same time handing out hall passes to the current staff.
>>>>

I just don’t do well in blind faith. Hue gave us tangible results that we could witness. His offense was exciting and dynamic with McF.

Now we are the laughing stock with insipid and head scratching play calling.

The defense was supposed to be coached Up but went down instead.

I am simply asking the people defending this staff to provide something tangible that makes me believe this will be a SB quality coaching staff anytime soon.

——————
there YDPC are good but IMO we havent run the ball enough to make any opinions about whose good. We havent had many close games so we tend to run the ball against prevent type defenses because they are up by 14+.
===========================================

Excellent point. The issue that gets to me more than any is EVERY SINGLE OTHER BACK on our roster has seemingly run better. And don’t even start me up on the McFadden drops in the passing game. That is flat out AWFUL.

nycraider

Priesttj12 Says:
December 10th, 2012 at 10:32 pm
Height weight speed HWS………..Seymour is blind with hatred doesn’t understand what he;s talking about. He thinks the only players Mr Davis drfated with based on HWS he’s too stupid to know our own history.

Mayock started that crazy stuff and he bought it hook line and sinker without looking at the facts.

Is Marcus Allen HWS is Stabler HWS throughout our history we’ve drafted some greta players and some bad players but he’s too naive to know the difference.
—————–
Our best players on offense didnt fit the HWS mode, Stabler, Gannon, fred biletnikoff, casper, todd christianson, Marcus, even Tim brown was more of a possession type, van eeghen,

Gdog

He had a different offensive line. Satele is a much better center than Wisneiwski, Wisnieski is a better LG than Carlisle and Carlisle is a better RG than Briesel. That’s how.
>>>>

Ok… that’s a heaping helping of blind faith there.

These are largely the same players. I guess Satele was our team MVP last year… who knew?

Try Some Reality

He had a different offensive line. Satele is a much better center than Wisneiwski, Wisnieski is a better LG than Carlisle and Carlisle is a better RG than Briesel. That’s how.

============================================

Who is responsible for this? Was not Satele cheaper to retain than signing Brisiel? Someone threw a pile of sh1t right in the face of a wind storm. Reggie and DA need a shower.

I would have much preferref someone with a track record and an experienced coach to help us make a transition. But you are so blind with hatred you can’t see the obvious dude. You hung up on some ignorant ass HWS phylosophy look at the evidence is MIKe Bush HWS is REECE HWS they are great football players all over this roster that can play.

YOu think Reggie has some corner on the market n drafting players you are a complete and UTTER FOOL!

nycraider

Seymour Bush Says:
December 10th, 2012 at 10:36 pm
——————
there YDPC are good but IMO we havent run the ball enough to make any opinions about whose good. We havent had many close games so we tend to run the ball against prevent type defenses because they are up by 14+.
===========================================

Excellent point. The issue that gets to me more than any is EVERY SINGLE OTHER BACK on our roster has seemingly run better. And don’t even start me up on the McFadden drops in the passing game. That is flat out AWFUL.
—————–
no doubt DMAC has struggled, very disappointing, especially the drops in the passing game.

DJ Johnny

I think we are stuck with DA for at least another year so he will have my full support, and i don’t wanna rip on him just cuz i might not like how he looks, acts, talks, coaches or handles a roster or the schemes he implements. Ha. That’s a long list, but i will look for positives going forward and am hoping to see something i can wrap my hands around to feel positive…but i’m not finding anything.

I don’t say this to be a jerk or cuz i’m trying to prove a point that he sucks and we should have never brought him on, i say it cuz that is honestly the way i feel. I want him to succeed if he’s our coach..period; i just wish he’d show me something to believe. I can’t force myself to like what i see or have seen. I can’t fool myself into it.

These are largely the same players. I guess Satele was our team MVP last year… who knew?
======================================

Indianapolis sure didn’t have a problem Satele being the main cog for their brand new franchise: Andrew Luck.
—————–
the subtraction of satele combined with signing briesel the bust added to the elimination of Big wiz and Wylie, lead to a disaster on the OL. To me its a combination of poor personnel decisions by reggie and knapp. Big Wiz knew, thats why he left

Try Some Reality

I wanna believe, but he needs to help me out here.

===================================

That’s just it. This staff has shown us exactly bupkis. I could stand for the losses as long as I saw some evidence of a team playing together, getting better, executing, fighting, focused. Instead we are getting clowned on the football field, week in and week out.

I would have much preferref someone with a track record and an experienced coach to help us make a transition. But you are so blind with hatred you can’t see the obvious dude. You hung up on some ignorant ass HWS phylosophy look at the evidence is MIKe Bush HWS is REECE HWS they are great football players all over this roster that can play.

YOu think Reggie has some corner on the market n drafting players you are a complete and UTTER FOOL!
=============================================

I don’t understand a word of this post. Look, calm down and take a deep breath. How can you judge what McKenzie will do here? He had basically no draft choices. He had no idea what kind of team he had once the bullets were flying. He had to pare $30mm in salary out of here. What Al Davis kept doing was reworking deals and reworking deals, which kept pushing a looming disaster further and further into the future. McKenzie did the right thing by saying we NEED TO DEAL WITH THIS MESS NOW!! RIGHT NOW!!! We needed Wimbley. Could not keep him. Mike Bush? Could not keep him. Did not have the cap room. We still don’t have the cap room! But McKenzie is working on doing the right things here.

Priesttj12

the subtraction of satele combined with signing briesel the bust added to the elimination of Big wiz and Wylie, lead to a disaster on the OL. To me its a combination of poor personnel decisions by reggie and knapp. Big Wiz knew, thats why he left*****//////////////
No but the great Reggie will get us great football players……….haha show me!!!!

What I’ve seen so far is a bunch of crap…….period Blind freakin faith…

These are largely the same players. I guess Satele was our team MVP last year… who knew?
======================================

Indianapolis sure didn’t have a problem Satele being the main cog for their brand new franchise: Andrew Luck.
—————–
the subtraction of satele combined with signing briesel the bust added to the elimination of Big wiz and Wylie, lead to a disaster on the OL. To me its a combination of poor personnel decisions by reggie and knapp. Big Wiz knew, thats why he left

I would have much preferref someone with a track record and an experienced coach to help us make a transition. But you are so blind with hatred you can’t see the obvious dude. You hung up on some ignorant ass HWS phylosophy look at the evidence is MIKe Bush HWS is REECE HWS they are great football players all over this roster that can play.

YOu think Reggie has some corner on the market n drafting players you are a complete and UTTER FOOL!
=============================================

I don’t understand a word of this post. Look, calm down and take a deep breath. How can you judge what McKenzie will do here? He had basically no draft choices. He had no idea what kind of team he had once the bullets were flying. He had to pare $30mm in salary out of here. What Al Davis kept doing was reworking deals and reworking deals, which kept pushing a looming disaster further and further into the future. McKenzie did the right thing by saying we NEED TO DEAL WITH THIS MESS NOW!! RIGHT NOW!!! We needed Wimbley. Could not keep him. Mike Bush? Could not keep him. Did not have the cap room. We still don’t have the cap room! But McKenzie is working on doing the right things here.
—————-
if you want to give Reggie a pass for 2012 thats up to you. he screwed up on his decsions on Seymour, Branch, and Briesel which will have major cap ramifications for 2013 that he created. Before we signed Carter, Cork reported we were 6 mil under cap. I cant comment on the draft because in fairness to reggie he hasnt had one yet. but I will not give him a pass in 2013. No Excuses

That’s just it. This staff has shown us exactly bupkis. I could stand for the losses as long as I saw some evidence of a team playing together, getting better, executing, fighting, focused. Instead we are getting clowned on the football field, week in and week out.
======================================

I can’t disagree. It is not like I look out on that field and I see the future. I don’t. The thing that terrorizes me are fans want to get rid of Palmer, get rid of Allen, get rid of McKenzie, get rid of Seymour, buy Mcclain a present, bring in Gruden who has never drafted and developed anyone, it boggles the mind. I want to see what Allen and McKenzie can do with an off season and draft. That is all I can say.

DKnight007

Try Some Reality Says:
December 10th, 2012 at 10:45 pm

I wanna believe, but he needs to help me out here.

===================================

That’s just it. This staff has shown us exactly bupkis. I could stand for the losses as long as I saw some evidence of a team playing together, getting better, executing, fighting, focused. Instead we are getting clowned on the football field, week in and week out.

^^^^^^^^^^
I have faith that McK will draft better than old man Al did.

However, I do not have faith that DA and his whack staff can lead this team and get better.

Raiders need better coaches….period!

Kirk

This is the worst coaching staff I have ever seen in 50 years of watching pro football.

the subtraction of satele combined with signing briesel the bust added to the elimination of Big wiz and Wylie, lead to a disaster on the OL. To me its a combination of poor personnel decisions by reggie and knapp. Big Wiz knew, thats why he left*****//////////////
No but the great Reggie will get us great football players……….haha show me!!!!

What I’ve seen so far is a bunch of crap…….period Blind freakin faith…
===========================================

I can see what they are doing here. OK, you are Mark Davis. What do you want to do? Tell me?

DKnight007

Kirk Says:
December 10th, 2012 at 10:49 pm

Bring in Gruden and get rid of these fools.

Anyone who would hire Gregg Knapp should be fired just for that.

^^^^^^^^^^
Yep! I put my money on Gruden and whoever he hires as his coaches turning this team around ahead of DA and his whacked coaches.

Easily!

Kirk

DKnight007, why the flagnogg didn’t they hire Gruden in the first place?

manassamauler

off the subject here.Raiders should draft DT Star Lotulei with their 3rd overall pick IF they don’t trade down. this dude is a freak of nature and beats double teams. would free up the DEs and LBs to get to the QB. Star would anchor the whole defense for the next 10 years. fuk drafting that MLB, draft a beast DT/NT and watch that defense improve immediately. But ofcourse it wont matter because the Raiders will never make it to the playoffs of they can’t resign their punter! OH NO. it all comes down to the 5$ million punter

nycraider

What are the odds that reggie announces in january that saunders contract will not be renewed but knapp will remain as OC

I appreciate that. But when I see Marques Colston run right past Mitchell like he was asleep for an easy TD with 40 seconds to go in the half versus New Orleans, or McFadden drop a pass on the lst play last game where he is singled up against the Bunco’s MLB, a play that should have gone for 30 yards and might have completely affected the outcome, I can’t judge the staff until we get some guys in here that can settle down and make some simple plays.